Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1887-02-04
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.
Regular Correspondent.

that charges of Incidence have been
heaped upon it. 1t is a real pity that
the country has to part with it so soon,
and it is one of the worst faults of our
legislative system that about the time
one Congress gets fairly down to busi-
ness another steps into its place and
wastes year or more in getting Il
good start.
The most important legislation of
the week, SO far, is that creating De-
partment of Agriculture and Labor,
and that against the Mormons of Utah.
There will now be Secretary of Agri-
culture, who will, of course, be Cabi-
net officer, if the Senate agrees to this
change, and it was voted for III the
House of Representatives by such a
large majority as to leave little doubt
of its popularity.
Commissioner Coleman, the incum
bent under the new Administration
has, more than any of his predeces-
sors, succeeded in impressing upon the
public mind the Importance of this de-
partment and its capacity for useful
ness. The legislation, just accom-
plished, may be partly considered,
therefore, in the nature of a compli-
meut to his efficient management,
and the President i'll looking about for
new member of his Cabinet, will
have little difficulty in finding the
right man.
The passage of the bill elevating the
Agricultural Department to executive
importance was Il very appropriate
celebration of the Farmers Congress,
now in session in Washington at the
Agricultural Department. The farm
ers have been discussing the proposed
Interstate Commerce bill, so long
pending i'll the Senate, and a majority
of them favor Federal interference for
the protection of the people. A lively
debate was provoked relative to the
long and short haul section, and dele
gates from the North and South were
opposed to each other as to the policy
which should prevail. The debate
took very wide range, but one senti-
ment WAS uppermost with all and that
was that an Interstate Commerce bill
was national necessity.
The most notable debate of the week
in Congress was that over the Anti
polygamy bill. Delegate Craine, as the
representative of the MormOns, was at
tentively listened to first, while h,
made long argument in behalf of his
people He sketchcd the settlement
of Utah by the Mormons, depicted the
persecution to which they had been
subjected and eulogized them for their
industry, intelligence and honesty. He
appealed to the House to consider well
before it assented to the propositions
contained in the bill. He said relig-
ious bigotry was arrayed against the
Mormons; political necessity, cant,
hypocrisy, and all kindred Pecksnif-
fianism joined in the hue and cry.
Baseless calumnies, SANDER and unmit-
igated falsehoods were constantly dis
seminated through the platform, the
pulpit and the press, these mighty en-
gines for the manufacture of public
sentiment. Mr.. Craine insisted that
time, the corrector of all evils, would
right wrong, if wrong it were that the
fiat of the Eternal had already de-
clared that the last vestige Of Nor
monism shall be swept away by the
peaceful progress OF events if it is not
fit to survive. He closed with plea
to the men who had freed the negro
slave from bondage, who loved liberty
and cherished the institutions of our
country, that they would not consign
his constituents to inhuman slavery.
Representative Bennett, of North
Carolina, also believed that the Nor
mon problem would resolve itself
would yield to patient treatment at
the hands of the American people.
The bill, he said, did violence to the
basic principles of American Govern
ment.
Others were drawn into the discus
sion, and Hon. Randolph Tucker, of
Virginia, closed the debate. He said
he did not care what a Mormon be-
lieved, but he must not put his belief
into acts that infringed the rights OF
any other man. Polygamy was a
crime by every statute in Christendom
Ever since Christ interpreted the Ju
daic law and gave out Therefore
shall IL man leave father and mother
and cleave unto his wife and they
twain, they twain ana not whole
bundle, shall be one tlcsh"-evel
since Christ uttered that sentiment
all Christian nations had adopted
monogamy.
What is Congress to do?' con
tinucd Mr. Tucker. The gentleman
from Utah answered Wait, if We arr
wrong we will sink" But the Gov
ernment wants Utah as one Of th'
States of the Union. 1t did not come
in because it had 10000 Mormon
who would establish polygamy as ont
of the institutions of that State.
was the duty of Congress to prepare
Utah for the Union, and the way to d.